


Water and Lilies

by Sailingfreely



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Mythical Beings & Creatures, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Sorcerers, Soulmates, necromancer - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-05-13 17:41:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19256041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sailingfreely/pseuds/Sailingfreely
Summary: He knows enough that words coming from creatures like the one before him is anything but to be trusted, even if they answer to the same darkness. Yet the creature is much too enchanting to look away, ignorance is the myth when he's facing such beauty far too seductive to run away from."Come free me, and you'll never hate your reflection ever again. I'll show you the wonders you've been denying to see, fear does not belong to you."When two predators collide and be tangled in the shadow under the light.





	1. Opening The Door

**Author's Note:**

> For my family ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> shall we suffer still?

Spring has come, the sky is blue and the air is crisp with a rather warm breeze, many people come out their house, spending time. There's one man who chose to spend it by hiking, driving the road to the mountain in a couple of hours, equipment ready in his hiking backpack. He wasn't alone when he reached the site, hiking together with some strangers and a guide, they said it's important to hike in a group instead going alone. Not even a professional hike the mountain alone, they said, something about the area is not exactly _pure_. The hiker thought that is ridiculous, however, since the tracking path is nothing dangerous.

And so, being the brave challenger he is, he didn't really take notes of what the guide was saying and fall behind when his attention got absorbed by a patch of unfamiliar plants. The moment he noticed that he was alone, the sun is beginning to climb down and he's surrounded by silence in the vast forest. There's something eerie about it, since the forest was anything but quiet before, now even the chirping of the birds ceased.

Yet he shrugged off the odd feelings and try his way up the path, keep climbing until what was man made steps gradually thinning until they're gone, leaving no traces for him to follow. That leave the hiker confused, he look around only to find the path he was walking on also gone. With a slight panic, he realized he was lost. He checks his phone, but there's no signal, how convenient. Since there's no other choice, he keep going, until he realizes dreadfully that he's been going in circles in the forest over and over again.

No matter how far he goes, he go back to where he was first lost, he can't get out. Until suddenly he saw a lone cottage not far from where he was standing, _was that even there before?_ But since the day is waning into night, he have no other choice than to knock on the door. When the door opens, emerging was a man, slightly shorter than him and wearing a beautiful smile much like his good looks.

Later on the owner of the cottage introduced himself as Jaehyun, the hiker found temporary relief from meeting another person who could possibly help him find a way back to the site. But then the man named Jaehyun refused to give him the direction, telling him something similar like what the guide had told him earlier that day, that the forest is _impure_ and it's too dangerous to venture in the forest at night. So he offered the hiker to stay the night instead, leading him into the small yet pretty cottage and told him to sit down.

"Would you like some tea?" Jaehyun asked with his ever present smile.

The hiker thought the man was very beautiful, much too beautiful to be a mere human and there's something about the way Jaehyun's skin seemingly glowing makes him eerie. Gradually, there's unease growing in his chest at the rhythmical sounds of teaspoon clanking against a teacup, the hiker can't quite understand why something feels odd and there's tension fearing for his well being.

Yet, Jaehyun's smile always seem to relax his body like hypnotism, his dark eyes holds something deep and indecipherable. Then Jaehyun give him a cup of warm water with a dark blue lily floating at the surface. The teacup is a bit big with wide rim, gold lining and adorning the crystal material with pastel colors flowers around it, complimenting the beautiful blue lily.

"What is this?" The hiker asked.

"Tea, my tea is one of the kind, you have to blow them before you drink it," Jaehyun smiled, something simmering in his dark eyes.

The hiker noticed that Jaehyun didn't sit down while watching him about to drink the tea, and why does his eyes seems to be very excited? Everything feels off, yet the hiker feels compelled to do just like he was told despite it. He blew the dark blue lily, soft and fleeting, caressing the petals.

That's when something happens. The flutters of the petals grows as they open up in a bloom and as his breath is dissipating, there's a sensation of cold water running up his skin from the tip of his toes, slithering up to his lips. Then, he feels his body weakens, chest constricting and skin tight as warm white fog which escaped his mouth touched the transparent cup. The hiker suddenly feeling extremely exhausted, it's getting hard to breath and in a panicked state, the cup slipped from his grip and fell to the floor, shattering with no repair.

But then, the water which wetting the floor is quivering, there's glow emanating and from the dark blue lily the color of black seeping out like ink. Spreading in the water then breaking the clear surface.

Black and blue merging together into hair, then crystal liquid running down a smooth skin, a face, neck, shoulder and out was a whole body from the spilled water as if the creature coming out from a pond. Like a birth, mesmerizing and tantalizingly hypnotizing.

If the hiker thought Jaehyun's beauty held no rival in the world, he knew he was wrong the second his eyes laid upon the beautiful creature before him. Black, bluish hair, porcelain like smooth skin formed and sculpted with precision, he held a bewitching beauty which the hiker couldn't take his eyes away, breath forsaken and heart thundering in obsession.

"Ah... finally, finally I'm back, it's been too long," the beautiful creature said with a breath of relief, arms wide open when Jaehyun coming to wrap his naked and wet body with a big towel, "Oh love, it is you i missed the most."

"Is it not coming back to existence which you miss more?" Jaehyun smiled, but then the other man pulled him by the hair a little harshly, kissing him with fervor and desperation as if there's no tomorrow, eliciting longing gasps and soft moans. Jaehyun pulls away with much difficulty and a huge grin on his glistening lips as the other man is unwilling to let go, "Alright i get it, you missed me the most."

"Love," the man huffed with a pout and a teasing gleam in his eyes, "do you not miss me? Don't you want to touch me? _Love me?"_

His hands slipping under Jaehyun's shirt, touching his alabaster skin directly and trying to pull it off as he's kissing Jaehyun again in thirst, kissing down to his neck and collarbone, leaving marks on its trail.

"Master Taeyong," Jaehyun suddenly took a stern tone, "i missed you too but I won't give you anything if you don't behave yourself."

"Behave? Why should i behave when it's only the two of us?" Taeyong chuckles in mischief, trying again to yank open Jaehyun's shirt.

"Master," he tried again in firmer tone, this time Taeyong caught on then he turn around to see the hiker in the eyes.

"Ah, how could I forget you always prefer me to eat first before i play with you, Jaehyun."

 

 

====

 

 

The hall are lined with tall columns bathed in the color of gold, intensifying dignity which was one so grand in history, seen only through imaginary now. Rows of paintings, gathered into certain sequence and Jaehyun breathe it all in for melancholy to fill his lungs, none of it was familiar since too long was forgotten. A time when myth seen as true and more than creative minds knitting illusions of splendor, grace and darkness.

He came face to face with his own images upon the mirror which placed to see each other, creating echoes of his form into limitless as if he's looking through _him_ and what was him in phases of time and eras. He never quite like himself since being too different with the mass he must tangle with, one of the kind, alone in the current life.

But as he's looking at the furthest echo of his images, he sees what shouldn't be there. A lone image of a beauty which held no counterparts like his in the mirror. He's far from being scared looking at the other pair of dark eyes, but he knows the being which presenting himself before him wants something from him. And such, elicit wariness in his chest.

"You see me."

Jaehyun turned away and left, pretending is a skill he had mastered after long centuries. Yet the image which he has seen already latching onto him as he see again the other reflection in another mirror.

"You see me, necromancer."

"Warlock," he says in distaste, knowing his silence is in vain.

"I see you."

"You see nothing," Jaehyun hissed, walking away again only for the reflection to follow him everywhere on every surface which reflecting light.

"But I do, see you, a darkness similar to mine."

"I don't involve myself with beings like you who had betrayed their oaths," Jaehyun finally look at the creature eye to eye in the mirror.

"Ambition hardly ever always misplaced greed, the arts are there to be unveiled, why is it wrong to learn it then?"

"There are lines to uphold and respected, morals to follow."

"You've been alone for too long, necromancer," the creature chuckles, "you're starting to think like humans."

"And I am-"

"But you'll never be," he said, gaining closer to the mirror, standing right behind Jaehyun although there's no one there in the real world, "they would never accept you should they know your nature, Mormo's child. As they will never be your equal."

Jaehyun fisting his hands in anger, truth he's been trying to deny, because alone is his greatest torture. But he knows enough words coming from creatures like the one before him is anything but to be trusted, even if they answer to the same darkness. Yet the creature is much too enchanting to look away, ignorance is the myth when he's facing such beauty far too seductive to run away from.

There's a hand on his shoulder in the mirror and Jaehyun could almost feel the coldness over his flesh, "come free me, and you'll never hate your reflection ever again. I'll show you the wonders you've been denying to see, fear does not belong to you."

Lips leaning in too close to his ear, ghost of touches from the images in front of him awakens shivers down his spine, "love and fondness could be the shine in their eyes instead of fear as you consume them to last, i could release you, half siren."

"Something you must know well, half nymph. But your seduction means little to me," Jaehyun turns away, breaking the tangled reflection in the mirror.

"Resistance is futile, your heart sings to me."

"Not for you," Jaehyun look back only one to glare at the creature.

But then there's a smile growing on the gorgeous face, eyes alight and it was doom Jaehyun witnesses.

"Yet."

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you think!
> 
> Hit me up at my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/RiriSailing?s=09)


	2. One Tea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Eat me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I guess here we are with the continuation....

The cup is clanking when Taeyong put it down to their counterpart on the table, leaning back with a sigh on the couch and opens a book as the noises from somewhere inside the cottage accompanying the taste of his new birth. Wearing nothing but a loose shirt on his body with a cup of his own brew hot tea, is a luxury he's been yearning while he was drifting between existence and void realm. He's gotten used to the _noises_ after being with Jaehyun for more than a decade now, still it's tickling his senses beyond the written words on the papers with stains of time.

When he finally could focus on the dancing letters, a door is opening and come out was Jaehyun with shirt stained of blood and metallic smell spreading in the air, "oh dear."

"Is your senses still sensitive?" Jaehyun asked, wiping the sweat on his temple with his sleeves and dirt transferring to his skin.

"It's been almost seven years, I think I need to get used to the smell of blood again. Probably one of the few things I don't like about you, _too messy_ ," Taeyong bring up his teacup to inhale the scent of flowers instead.

"Deal with it, resurrecting you wasn't exactly easy you know. How many souls did it took this time? I thought I could do with two years," Jaehyun groaned. "A lot of people come hiking this mountain, but since some people gone missing they've decreasing significantly."

"Almost four hundreds," he chuckles, "and you didn't even hand picked them, some of them were nasty and way too corrupted."

"Only fitting for you," Jaehyun snorted, going to the only bedroom in the small cottage to take a shower and change his clothes.

Taeyong take a moment to look around the place, seeing the other's life with his ever knowing eyes and against the law of time. He could see the past and the future easily, more direct and less abstract if it wasn't about prophecy vision. And he came to concluded that Jaehyun had led a boring life when he wasn't there. Not long Jaehyun emerges back into the living room wearing only boxer brief under white tee, smelling like musky lavender still with a pinch of iron.

"Were you hungry?"

Jaehyun turned to him while drying his pink hair, full and pretty like cherry blossoms, "I was, but his flesh was corrupted as well so I didn't eat too much. I gave them to the harpies."

"Oh not again," Taeyong groans, "they'll stuck with you if you keep feeding them."

"Better than burying them, there's risk of people finding them then," Jaehyun shrugged, going to the refrigerator to drink a manufactured fruit juice. "And it's not like I can give them to Erinyes since they don't eat flesh and instead their souls, not like you're willing to _share_."

"That's not good for your body, don't drink them too much," Taeyong disapproved, a frown on his face, "the Erinyes answers to me, who Hecate created from her essences with nymphs' blood, there's no need to appeal to them. The harpies didn't eat the bones right? What did you do with it?"

"Throw them to the underworld,"Jaehyun laughed, "Cerberus likes it."

"Huh, won't be long until that uncle get mad with me for feeding his pet with stray bones."

"One of the perks being your familiar, they always get mad at you instead of me," Jaehyun snickers.

"At least I'm comforted by the fact the empousa always on your toes whenever I died," Taeyong scoffed, "makes it even, she must be annoying you to the fullest, am I right?"

"Fuck you," Jaehyun growled, "she's fucking nasty, it's not my fault you died because you happened to annoyed a demigod. I haven't been sleeping these past years since she keep giving me nightmares."

"God, I wish I can _eat_ that demigod," he disgruntled, "too bad Zeus claimed protection over him, the only fucking reason why he could killed me. I would love his head on a silver platter if it weren't." Then he look back to Jaehyun who's throwing his head back to down the liquid sugar in a box, wincing, "do you need to drink a liter of it? Gosh, I'm nauseated just looking at it."

"I like the taste, it's not like I can get diabetes out if it," he shrugged.

"Mortal diseases..." Taeyong sighed in disappointment, "still thinking like mortals i see."

"Shut up, you can't get rid of what was my life before you."

"You were never it," Taeyong goes back to read the book which has been forgotten in his lap, but then droplets of water fell to his thighs and shadow looming above him, looking up to see Jaehyun smirking down to him.

"As if you don't enjoy mortal pleasure."

Taeyong hummed, lifting up his leg to caressed Jaehyun's bare thigh with his equally bare shin, "primal desire you mean, honored not by mortals only."

Jaehyun bite his lips at the dark lusting expression on Taeyong, shivers upon his skin from the burns of their intimate contact, eyes and flesh. But then he recoils, pleased by the lift of the half nymph's eyebrow, "Not for my altar."

"As if half siren, you loves to tangle more than half of my needs, yet you deny me of it," Taeyong huffed, annoyed.

"Your needs speaks too much, if you're allowed, you'll spend half a year for fucking only," Jaehyun shakes his head with amused smile.

"Well you get the _fun_ too."

"Fun wasn't in my job descriptions when I got hired to you, if you missed the note, master," he smirked.

"How distasteful of you to call me that after saying such words boldly when you know better," Taeyong hissed.

"Keep chasing then," Jaehyun taunts with a jerk of his head, smug grin on his pink lips.

"You're not _tangling_ with the empousa, are you?" Taeyong narrowed his eyes in scrutiny.

"What- what the fuck? You think I would?" Jaehyun is flabbergasted.

"She could be pretty and you were left alone for seven years, who knows? She frequents you," Taeyong shrugged, looking like a sulking child.

"I wouldn't even appreciate being in the same room as her," Jaehyun says, goosebumps rising, "oh god, the images is so unwelcome."

"Well then," Taeyong lets out with a soft gasp, hooking his legs behind Jaehyun's knees and pulled them to make the taller man fall over him, arms immediately coiling around the man's head and neck, whispering to the lips above, "eat me."

Jaehyun's next words got swallowed by soft lips, kissing him hard and hot, velvety tongue invading his walls to taste and drink, pressing harder as the arms around him tightens. A loud groan left his lips when legs traveling up his side to hooks on his lower back, frictions made to their bodies, more carnal desires burning down below between their limbs.

He pulls away with a loud moan when Taeyong lets him and mouthing at his jaw, "if I eat you," he breathed in gasps, "You won't be pretty anymore."

"Then kill me, so you can bring me back to life again," Taeyong whisper after a seductive moan right to Jaehyun's ear, creating pleasant shudder over the taller man's body.

"And be without you for years again? I don't think so," Jaehyun whispers, eyes dark and there is something fond and warm within, making Taeyong's heart hums in equal hunger.

"Best confession ever," he said breathlessly with a wide, amused smile, "devour my mouth then, that's the least you can do for leaving me tormented."

"That," Jaehyun leans down to graze his lips with the yearning thin lips under, "I can do."

 

  
===

 

  
Chirps of birds, long damp road from morning dew, shadows shifting along with cold air looming the city.

 _Hey_.

Hums of electricity, invisible dust dancing down in the slight twirl of empty air. Silence filling the space.

 _Hey_.

His eyelashes flutters, a sigh escaping his lips and long breath hitting his soft pillow since his senses subconsciously got tickled. A hand wrapping himself tighter when the other diving deeper under the pillow, feet moving searching for warmth when the sheet feels rather cold under his skin.

_Wake up!_

Jaehyun jolted awake, eyes bleary and Hypnos still embracing him quite tightly. He tried to pry Hypnos off, blinking with effort then look around his small apartment to see what was it that stealing him from the God of sleep. He glanced to the nearest window, finding dark although there's a hint of colors telling him that Eos is on her way to spray her rosy, golden fingers. He groaned in annoyance, since he was sleeping really good and now he needs to wake up.

"Dear God," Jaehyun hissed when he looked at his phone to found out he had missed his morning alarm and waking up twenty minutes late.

He rushed to get out of bed and take a shower, skipping breakfast in favor to walk out his apartment at his usual time. He wouldn't let his clumsiness and Hypnos to ruin his day for not having his morning coffee. As he walks to the cafe though, he briefly wonders what had waken him up if he missed the alarm?

"Morning Jaehyun," a fellow nurse in pediatric department greeted, eyes hollow from the lack of sleep.

"Morning Wheein," he greeted back, going back to the nurse room behind the station to put his bag into his locker and change into his uniform.

He was only about to button the first of his uniform when there's a voice, "no _hello_ for me?"

He fell back a step in surprise, almost knocking a water dispenser when he see a familiar face in the mirror on his locker door, " _holy_ \- you!"

"It's thanks to me you weren't late, you know," the beautiful reflection said with a grin.

" _You're following me?_ " Jaehyun asked in angered hiss.

"Like it or not I'm possessing you _babe_ ," he shrugged playfully, succeeding at frying Jaehyun's patience.

" _Zeus_ ," Jaehyun lamented, "Fuck off Warlock, I got no time nor patience to deal with you."

"You pray to Zeus now? Are you aware he was the one who caused your ancestor to got cursed by Hera? If Lamia really was Mormo origin that is."

"I said, Fuck. Off," Jaehyun growled, buttoning his uniform with frustrated fingers and eyes glaring at another pair which staring at him with mischief.

" _Mormon_ , fearful one," the creature sings, "fearful indeed that you work a job which handling children, knowing your ancestors' favorite consummation. Was it to enable you fresh meals to munch on? Won't it be too suspicious though?"

"I don't _eat_ them, i like children okay? Just so you know, I'm more of my mother than my great grandmother," Jaehyun huffed, then stops, "why the fuck I'm telling you this? That's none of your business."

"Which _will_ be my business, you will soon be mine," he grins wider, looking both evil and angelic at the same time.

"A thousand no, absolutely. Find other companions because you're wasting your time with me, I'll never be yours," he slammed shut his locker impatiently, only for it to be in vain since the creature appears in the mirror above the sink near a vending machine.

"Your mother was one of Hecate's companions, who's also my creator. Your existence is drawn to me, necromancer, since Hecate left her duties in my hands and with it her companions. Your blood sought for me, why do you think you were in that museum where i found you? You were called, by _me_."

Jaehyun gritted his teeth in fury, running out of impatience any seconds now since what was said was the truth. He had been running from the pulls in his core, denying the thrumming in his blood, yet it seems he can only ran for so long and now, _he_ found him.

"I don't care what my fate is, i make my own and I will, so fuck you and your world."

The creature _tsk-ed_ in disapproval, "I've been waiting for long enough for you to stop resisting me, but now there's no other path for you."

"Good luck with that, I've been doing fine without you all this time. You just seek for me because you died and now you need my help to come back. Well I won't, the world already got enough dark creatures looming even without you, I won't add another one to it," Jaehyun managed a smirk to paint his lips.

"The only thing you're proving is that you're definitely infuriating," he snorted, "so you eat your friends? If you're claiming to belong in their world, how interesting it is to feed on them while playing coy."

"I don't eat my friends," Jaehyun hissed.

"Well, you're surely eating your friends' friends' friends," he said, before laughing at how ridiculous it is, "Dear me, that's _epic_."

Jaehyun wishes he could choke the creature, "still I'm living fine here, with them, like them. I feel belonged."

"Oh really?" He sings with a mocking smile, eyes gleaming, patronizing, "do tell me that you never even find one of your friends delicious to devour then, if so, I'll leave you be."

Jaehyun opens his mouth to answer, but then the creature's eyes brighten and he said, " _no lies._ "

It was with a spell, because Jaehyun couldn't say anything although the words was on the tip of his tongue, _he can't lie._ Frustration and annoyance mounting inside him like whirling flame, "you're much more infuriating than me."

"The best master always more than their companions, _thank you,_ " he giggled, fucking giggled.

"Whatever," Jaehyun walks away with a snarl, speed walking to the nurse station, leaving the creature to guffaw in the mirror.

"Was there someone with you inside?" Wheein asked when he's going through the files for his shift.

"No, I was alone," he lied nonchalantly, "maybe you should hurry home now, you've been covering two shifts right? Go to sleep, but before that give me the lists for today."

"Are you insinuating that I was hallucinating?" She gasped in fake offended.

"I don't know Wheein, maybe?" He smiled, looking at her before he look elsewhere. The creature wasn't lying, Jaehyun is aware too, in that moment when he didn't have his breakfast nor dinner last night, even Wheein look _delectable_ to him. Mouthwatering does she smells. _What kind of friends, Jaehyun, that hunts for their friends?_

"Well, it's not your fault," the voice carries from somewhere Jaehyun couldn't see, "you're not them, you're not human, you simply _eat_."

Despite his inner conflicts and denial, Jaehyun knows the rusty cogs that is him, are finally turning in their rightfully places. That after so many centuries, he find a _place_ , where he fits, liberated and just him without masks.

"It's not nice to play with your food, Jaehyun."

Doom indeed.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Predator vs predator
> 
>  
> 
> Lmao.
> 
> Tell me what you think!
> 
> Hit me up at my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/RiriSailing?s=09)


	3. Tea Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You took away my pain, Jaehyun, don't give me another pain."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey yo!! If any of you feel confused, you can tell me so it'll be easier for me to explain it! ^^

The loud humming vibrating in the air, the head of a vacuum moving back and forth over the wooden floor as Jaehyun keep the place clean despite the pain in his body, or else a certain somebody will get mad. He tried to be as quiet as possible though, since it's nearing half moon and they've only arrived in the city just last night. If Taeyong could choose, he would rather stay in the forest, amidst his nature instead of the city where he feel most detached unlike Jaehyun who got a job there. It's long past noon already, yet Taeyong is still sleeping, but Jaehyun knows that's the least the man deserves for agreeing to Jaehyun's wish to live in the city, bringing Taeyong there is like forcing a fish to live on the land.

The way Jaehyun feeling the pain adding more inside his body is a telltale of a bad situation, but he supposed it's still okay since Taeyong has yet call for him, so he continues cleaning the apartment which been left for almost a week. After he's done cleaning the inside, Jaehyun goes to balcony to water the plants, a consolation for Taeyong who needs nature to sustain himself. But then as Jaehyun lifted the watering can, he sees scales growing over his forearms, dark motifs glistening like oil on water under the sunlight. Now that's _bad_.

"Shit," Jaehyun breathed, putting down the watering can to rush to the bedroom, checking on Taeyong who's seemingly sleeping. "Taeyong?" His call went unheard.

When he check the man's breathing, Jaehyun found none and his heartbeats are far too slow to be felt even on his neck. Alarmed, Jaehyun hurriedly carries Taeyong out the bedroom, transferring him to the couch in the middle room to prepare a bedding on the balcony before he goes back and put Taeyong to lie down in the balcony, letting sun to drenched him. Jaehyun watches the man closely, waiting until he sees Taeyong inhaling deeply before he too, could breathed out in relief. Then he goes back to watering the plants, tending to them carefully like he's caring for the extension of Taeyong's body.

When he's done, he's laying down on the bedding to join Taeyong. He stares with fascination how Taeyong's black and bluish hair took colors of green and red, imitating the colors of the plants which surrounding them. Taeyong's features are unique, they always take shapes of what energy the man took from the nature, although Jaehyun rather like Taeyong's black and bluish hair, he always look ethereal in any colors, not one of them ever disappoint Jaehyun. Like a child of Aphrodite, Taeyong is way too gorgeous for words could ever describe him.

Slowly Jaehyun picks some of the green, reddish strands between his fingers, feeling the textures of it, silky to the touch and soft like clouds on his skin. He lets it fall down over Taeyong's closed eyes, adorning his pale skin which starting to take colors of the sun, golden and glowing. There's hesitation in his mind, but Jaehyun let his desire take over when the tip of his fingers mapping the smooth porcelain like skin, dipping from the touch just like marshmallow.

"You're too beautiful for your own good, you know. Why are you making it harder for us?" Jaehyun whispered, tainted with sorrow and painful longing. If only he could be honest, he would love to touch Taeyong more than he allowed himself and whenever. Too bad he couldn't.

When Taeyong come to, it was by the soft light of the evening sun, Taeyong's most effective source of power similar to the full moon. His long eyelashes fluttering open and the colors of gold and chrome blooming in his irises, falling straight away to Jaehyun's pair of dark brown orbs, slightly tinted in yellow. He's staring to Jaehyun deeply, seemingly not fully awake and Jaehyun let the moment to stay for him to enjoy the man's beauty boldly without looking away. Only until consciousness seem to fill the golden chrome eyes did Jaehyun look away, not wanting to be questioned about his apparent affection.

"I heard you, you know," Taeyong whispered, his lean fingers reaching out to touch Jaehyun's cheek.

"How are you feeling?" Jaehyun asked instead.

"In pain," Taeyong sighed tiredly, "but at least I can breathe now."

"Should i buy more plants?"

"Please do, I can't breathe inside... put them in every corners of this place," he hissed, shifting his body to lie comfortably under the evening sun.

"Alright, I'll fill the apartment with them later," Jaehyun promised, "is the evening sun working for you though?"

"Yes, they did. There's more of Hesperides' blood in me than other nymphs' blood, so this sunset helps me a lot. Brew me some of your _tea_ too later," his hair taking the color of silver and gold, much like the sun upon them. Then Taeyong turn his head to stare into Jaehyun's eyes again, "your eyes... they're already yellow."

Jaehyun look down to his arms, seeing snake scales almost covering the whole length, he touched his cheeks only to found the same texture there. Before Taeyong could say anything else, he leaned down to kiss the man's lips, opening up the petals like flesh with his tongue, tracing and soft against each other, inhaling the warm energy into his own body until the scales over his skin disappears and Taeyong coiling his arms around him, caging his bigger body with his slender legs.

"You know, that feels like you're using me," Taeyong whispered.

"Since my body is the container for your power, I'm only enabling you to wash them away through me, it hurts when it's accumulating inside you, right?" He reasoned despite the both of them knew exactly what Jaehyun had just done.

"Tell yourself that as much as you want Jaehyun, but that doesn't erase the fact that you're using me to hide your true form," Taeyong said, there's an underlining sadness in his tone, fingers brushing through Jaehyun's hair.

"I like me better like this."

"It's sad," he said, leaning up to kiss Jaehyun's lips chastely as if comforting, "You born like that, it's been with you for all your life, yet you deny it that much. How can you not love the true you?"

Jaehyun bite the inside of his mouth, shaken by the way Taeyong is gazing into him, exploring, stripping him bare, "because I've never belong anywhere, the only place I tried to fit in couldn't accept me. So all my life, I've only leant to hate it."

"You belong with me," Taeyong whispered firmly, holding Jaehyun's face with so much gentleness it tells him how precious he is, "and i love however you looked, this or the true you. So don't you hide from me, i want all of you, belong to me and with me."

He wants to reciprocate, to allow himself to embrace what was offered to him, take it all and accept it. Then again, he couldn't, because the fear of losing the place where he truly belonged is nullifying his yearning, "don't say that, you know why I can't answer to you. I'll give you everything, but not that, not now. And i like myself better like this, I'm not hiding, not when I'm with you, it's just my choice. Just like some people chose to wear make up or not, simply that."

"Then kiss me, don't use me," Taeyong said, caressing Jaehyun's face with his thumb fondly, almost like a plea. Only with Jaehyun did he let go of his strength and dominance, and it's only right for Jaehyun to answer that with honesty, wordlessly.

So he leaned down again, holding Taeyong's face with his unspoken longing, allowed only in their touches and the kisses shared secretly between them. Taeyong kissing him back without restraint, unwilling to hold back on account of Jaehyun's fear and choices, which strangely soothing the half siren's dilemma. There's a satisfied smile on Taeyong's lips when they're embracing each other tighter and closer, hooking his legs on Jaehyun's thighs.

"That's better," he said with twinkles in his golden eyes. "You took away my pain, Jaehyun. Don't give me another pain."

The three words Jaehyun couldn't say, but conveyed through his now dark brown eyes, he could only reciprocate with a content smile and hope for Taeyong to feel and understand it.

 

==

 

" _Hey, wake up."_

The voice always managed to wake Jaehyun up better than his alarm, every morning for the past weeks Jaehyun could easily rip himself away from the clutches of Hypnos' fingers. He gets up from the bed and goes straight to the bathroom to wash up, looking at his reflection in the mirror no longer alone. There's always another figure looming beside him and despite he told himself that he dreaded that, _he_ _didn't_. Because loneliness wasn't his companion since the being haunted him.

"How bold of you to use me as your wake up call," the creature said with distaste, "You would think you're the master instead of me."

"No one is anyone's master," Jaehyun scoffed, drying his face with a towel before chunking it to the reflection, "you're just bitter."

"Oh yes, I am. You used me and what did I get? Nothing but complains and grumbles."

"Then go, no one is holding you back, I have no use for creature like you," Jaehyun shrugged, which seems to hit a nerve.

"The name is Taeyong, don't you degrade me," the reflection said although calmly, Jaehyun could see the dark glint swirling in the black eyes, terrifying and causing chills over his body.

"Kindly fuck off, Taeyong," Jaehyun said, determined to crack the other further. There was no retort, merely a lift of an eyebrow then the reflection disappeared.

That was the last of the creature that Jaehyun saw for the next week. No traces left and Jaehyun started to wonder if it's only his imagination which created Taeyong, a being which manifested from his loneliness. For days Jaehyun went to his work late since being desensitized to his alarm, no more voice interrupting his thoughts nor looming shadows accompanying or welcoming him home. Strangely it leaves him with a bad taste even if it's only for some weeks, but the creature already left a dent to Jaehyun's life. Against his better judgement, deep down he longs for Taeyong, who was annoying yet grounding.

It was around half moon when Jaehyun feel sluggish, just like how it always was, carefully managing his shift so he can go home in the night when it hits harder. Rain pouring over him as he walks home, roads darker than usually even with rows of streetlamps. When he turned to an alley near his apartment, there's one light flickering on and off, causing the narrow path even darker and Jaehyun braved it since nothing fear him. But then he saw a silhouette of a man not far ahead, exactly under the flickering light, appears when the light out and disappears when the light on. Jaehyun aren't afraid of ghosts, they couldn't hurt him, but _this_ , sent a tremble down his spine.

Jaehyun hurried home, passing the flickering light right when it's lit then dashed to his apartment. His heart thundering when he reached inside his unit, breathed out in relief before he take off his shoes then proceeding to change out his wet clothes. As he walked in the bathroom, he sees his reflection that he hates, yellow snake eyes and scales running over his skin, features which he vinherited from his ancestors and only appearing when his power is unstable come the half moon.

"Ah, so you're also experiencing _PMS_ nearing half moon."

The shriek which escaped Jaehyun's mouth was nothing less than a banshee's scream, arms instinctively flying up to cover his torso and eyes wildly searching for the source of that voice, finding no other than Taeyong standing directly behind him in the mirror.

"W-what?"

"Aw, _cute_ , so you can scream like that," Taeyong guffawed, "calm down, what are you afraid of? I greeted you back at the road."

"That was _you?_ " Jaehyun shrieked again, snatching his wet clothes from the floor to better cover his full of scales body.

"Who else? I believe my energy also waving off uncontrollably since half moon affecting me too," the reflection reaching our his hands to touch Jaehyun's shoulder, which caused the taller man to flinched away. "Why? You don't like to be touched?"

"I don't like anyone to touch me," Jaehyun hissed, "especially when I'm like this, go away Taeyong, why are you back?"

"I went back to sleep since you insulted me," he scoffed, "like _this_ , you said? That's hard to do, you're too beautiful not to be touched or appreciated."

Now that makes Jaehyun's heart jumps, because no one ever find him beautiful looking like that. All his life have consist of him hiding his true form since many was terrified at the sight of him. All his life was him hating himself since he can't ever fit and feel truly accepted, wearing skin which isn't truly him and horrified at the possibility of being hated and rejected, being feared is his worst fear.

But then Jaehyun's chest tightens and heart leaping miles when Taeyong leaned down to kiss his shoulder which covered by snake scales, only a reflection yet he could feel the ghost of the soft lips on his sensitive skin, "w-why- how could you kissed _that?_ "

"How could I not? You're beautiful, I think it's more of a sin to not kiss it," Taeyong said, nothing but honesty filling his dark yet warm eyes.

"You... you are weird," Jaehyun lets out, letting down his wet clothes since he don't feel the need to hide himself. Peculiar, because never was he feel that liberated, bare and _accepted_.

"The weird one isn't me, Jaehyun. The world you lived in is, but not with me. Never with me," he smiled, nothing taunting or mocking, just a smile which is gentle and understanding.

It was then when Jaehyun realized that his heart may have chosen it's master. Simple yet means so much more to his yearning soul.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short explanation of what jaeyong is.
> 
> Taeyong is created by Hecate; the goddess of witchcraft, magic, night, moon, ghosts and necromancy. She also have power over heaven, earth and the sea. Since Taeyong also created with mixed of nymphs' blood (also why he was resurrected through a flower), his power affected by the condition of nature too, and the moon with the help of sustaining it by human's souls (he eats the soul). Nymphs said to be maidens born from nature, but they preys on unsuspecting male humans to which i depicted as Taeyong's high sexual desire.
> 
> As for Jaehyun, he's a descendant of Mormo and Lamia with half of siren's blood (which why Jaehyun's best media is water, as seen in his attempt to resurrect Taeyong with tea). Mormo was said to be Hecate's companion along with the Erinyes and empousa, she's also what was believed to be the origin of vampire and eats the flesh along with drinking human's blood (so Jaehyun eat the bodies whose souls were eaten by Taeyong). Mormo also known to be good in witchcraft, herbs (he's good with tea too lol) and necromancy, that's why Taeyong addressed Jaehyun as necromancer.  
> Lamia was one of Zeus's mistress whom cursed by Hera to be monsters with her children, only eats babies and children as her revenge to which was implied in Taeyong's joke towards Jaehyun's job in earlier chapter.
> 
> I hope this clears up some confusion ^^
> 
> Tell me what you think!
> 
> Hit me up at my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/RiriSailing?s=09)


	4. Tea Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Please."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~!!!HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BELOVED LEE TAEYONG!!!~
> 
> I hope he's happy, healthy, wealthy and prosperous!! Only the best for the best~

Jaehyun's eyes feels like swimming, head drowsy and body heavy. He can't slack off though, after taking almost two weeks off from his job which only possible due to a doctor's letter issued thanks to his enchantment. He blinks, head getting foggy then there's a hand on his shoulder, he turns around to see a colleague smiling to him.

"This one is the last, Jaehyun-shii. After that you can go home, you've been here since your night ward shift, right? Sorry there was shortage of staff that we had to pull you to the front," she said.

"It's okay, I'll put up their folder," he smiled back, blinking.

 _Too far._ Jaehyun knows there's two reasons as to why he's feeling that weakened, Taeyong is too far from him. He could feel it, sensing the man no matter where and how far he is, like his other body. Even before he met Taeyong, his core was drawn to him, feeling his presence like a bad song stuck in his head refuse to go away no matter how hard he tried to ignore it. Now that they're bonded, he could feel Taeyong's presence more direct, closer and insistent as if the man is inside him even though he could feel it that Taeyong is far from him at the moment.

"Good morning."

Jaehyun look up to see a male human smiling to him, polite and soft. This is another reason why Jaehyun feeling that bad as he caught whiff of the scent of blood. _He's hungry._ How long as it been since he last eat? Only that time when he finally resurrected Taeyong. If it's like any other day, Jaehyun could sustain himself for a month with one feed, but resurrecting Taeyong was a feat on itself, they took too much of him and now his body demanding more aside that it also denying the distance he has with the other part of his soul, Taeyong.

"Good morning, what's the patient's name?" He smiled, hands pulling at the patients records stacked on the nurse desk. But the man didn't reply, staring at him as if he's in a trance, eyes deep to Jaehyun's pair, so he repeated, "sir? The patient's name and birth date please."

"Ah, uh sorry about that," he grins sheepishly, "it's Kim Haru, 4th April in 2016."

"Please wait a moment and we will call for you when it's your turn," Jaehyun said, smiling wider when the man still standing there staring at him.

Human, so easy even though he have yet use any spell or his siren voice to enchant, so ready to throw themselves into his gut. This human is so handsome and neat, tall and thick and mouthwatering for Jaehyun. Does he taste as good as he looks though? He wonders, but get rid of such thoughts when he sees the little child trailing behind the man. _You don't eat your job, Jaehyun, stop it_. Taeyong doesn't care, but Jaehyun cares who he eat, and it's not like he can do it like Taeyong where the man would suddenly drop dead. Jaehyun _chew_.

He's getting ready to leave after the last patient made it to the list and closed it for the morning consultation. Make a work of his legs and hurrying to follow the persistent tugging at his chest to chase after Taeyong's presence. Even though they're still far from each other, Jaehyun could smell what the other man is smelling, what he sees and what is surrounding him like images in his head. Flowers and greenies, there's a lot of them near Taeyong right now and he's brought to the outskirts of Seoul where a big florist shop existed at the front of a big garden.

He didn't lingers and walk in right away because his body screaming to be close with the counterpart of his soul, finally feeling lighter and breathing easier from the proximity. The tugging within him tells him that Taeyong already recognized his coming, and heart growling when a female human appeared in front of him with a greeting smile. It's alarming, nothing and no one should stand between them when Jaehyun is feeling like this.

"Good afternoon, are you looking for some flowers?"

"Lee Taeyong," he grunts, doing his best not to launch forward like the predator that he is.

The girl seems a bit shocked at his harsh reply, nonetheless she show him the way with no delay, "he's at the back, in the garden."

His mind supplies gratitude, but his body is pelting forward like metal being sucked by a magnet to get to where Taeyong is, sparing no verbal _thank you_ for the girl. The garden are huge with abundant of life and nature energy just the way Taeyong likes it, beautiful and neat English style with a small lake and groves ahead of him. Jaehyun _feels_ Taeyong before he sees him.

"Love, finally you're here," the man smiled, arms full of flowers as if the massive plants surrounding him still not enough for him. And Taeyong looks so beautiful all white, golden and colorful under the sun like that, Jaehyun's heart hungers for more than what his empty stomach is begging to be filled in.

He practically dashed and jumped to catch Taeyong in his embrace, letting not even a single noise out the man's mouth when he devours the pink, luscious lips. Taeyong keep his arms over his chest to hold the flowers, but the moans jumping out his throat are enough of a welcome for Jaehyun. And it's _perfect_ , the energy which strengthen him and the warmth that is Taeyong which eases his soul, finally he feel appeased and complete.

"You need to learn patience, dear Jaehyun," he chuckles after his lips being let go, nuzzling his face to Jaehyun's shoulder as a wordless command that he's not allowed to let go of his embrace yet, "i missed you too."

"It's not even twenty four hours yet I'm like this," Jaehyun grunts in frustration, "why do you have to be this faraway?"

"I need this just like you need me to breath, Jaehyun," he said softly with a chaste kiss to his lips, "come, I bet my energy isn't enough for you, you're hungry yes?"

" _Yes_ ," Jaehyun lets out breathlessly, sounding more desperate and whiny than he would like to show.

Taeyong put the flowers on the nearest table before he took Jaehyun's hand and lead them away further into the groves, "follow me where no eyes could see."

The dark deep lake, the rows of tall trees, the breezes filling the air with peaceful music and the sunlight dripping through the leaves, yet Jaehyun couldn't take his eyes away from the beautiful person in front of him. Not knowing where does the man is taking him, but every steps that he takes are without doubt and heart willing even if Taeyong would drag him to hell. Jaehyun didn't know, if it's heaven or hell being together with Taeyong like this, because he yearns yet cannot touch, because he breathe him in like oxygen yet the sight of him also suffocate him in longing.

But does he want this to stop? No.

 _Never_.

"Come, take me," Taeyong said after turning around to face him, more than a permission, much like a command and Jaehyun greedily takes it.

He embraces everything that is Taeyong with his arms, diving his fingers into the golden locks and pulls it to bare the expanse of the man's beautiful neck. Only in this moment that Taeyong is _his_ and _his alone_. He's sinking in his sharp teeth into the tender flesh, tongue tasting the skin and lungs inhaling the sweet scent which can only belong to Taeyong.

His heart pounding uncontrollably within his ribcage and blood stirring hotly within his body as he trapped Taeyong's smaller built within his own cage of his arms. He pulls harder, pressing their bodies tighter that no distance can separate them, wishing for it to be their naked skin burning and clashing directly. But he can only take what he should, filling his mouth with the hot, thick liquid and swallows Taeyong inside him. Becoming part of him the same way he's relishing the way the smaller body allows him to wreck, to ruin, to possess.

At every moans which leaving the gaping mouth over his ear, Jaehyun drinks more, yanking the golden hair harder and ripping the flimsy shirt off the smooth shoulder, bared only for him. Taeyong's weight increasing within his hold as the man gradually weakening, bringing them to their knees until Taeyong bring them to lay down on the grass and Jaehyun hovering over his lithe body with no mercy. He knows, that he have to let go sooner or later, but the slender arms and thighs around him, feels _too right_ , too perfect and he doesn't want to let go.

He's been starving for so long and it has nothing to do with the way his stomach tightens and filled to the brim. It is this burning desire under his skin that he wants to take. Take and take more he did, the echoes of his name painting his ears in the most sinful moans, drowning his sanity into oblivion. Even when the low scream biting sharp to his own neck, Jaehyun can't let go. He chews.

Everything, he wants it. Taeyong.

Taeyong.

 _Taeyong_.

The moment he could force himself to let go, he gasped with a lungs full of air, chest burning and mouth tainted with the sweetest nectar clinging to his wet flesh. He look down to see the man still within his prison, crippled with pleasure and red blooming in the tender skin like red over canvas. So suffocating, so breathtakingly beautiful and Jaehyun only want to carved the image into his brain. Taeyong looks so wrecked, chest wide open for the world to see from the way his shirt was torn without mercy by Jaehyun's hands. But the world can't see, this is only his to see and his heart burns even madly in obsession.

The man's eyelids fluttering opens to stare into him through half lidded eyes, lust and desires mixing in the now dark irises and blown pupils. His hair are no longer golden, it took colors of the leaves, the sky and the dark lake, so wrenchingly enchanting. Jaehyun want to dive in again, take more than what was appropriate, but he couldn't when he's being blessed by the most gorgeous smile.

"You're that hungry?"

"Sorry..." He answered in a whisper, alarmingly aware of the weight of arms over his broad back, legs trapping his hip, "does it hurts?"

"No, i love it," Taeyong says, voice tinted with a low moan and lust, "it feels really good, feels like you _want_ me."

It wasn't _feel_ like it, _he is_. Jaehyun wants him. Everything. "Sorry," he ghost his fingers over the battered flesh of the man's neck, gaping wound of his own creation, a mark, "I ruined you."

"Did you?" One of his hand leaving Jaehyun's back to touch his neck, some sort of a hiss and a chuckle escaped his lips, "i can't see it, but this does feel like you made a broken chew toy of my neck."

"I'm sorry."

"Then heals me," Taeyong whispered, kissing and licking Jaehyun's chin, biting seductively to imply, "heals me like you always do, Jaehyun."

There's a trickle of ruby liquid rolling down the golden neck and Jaehyun didn't waste any second to surge forward again, swiping his flat tongue over the skin for the warm liquid to seep in, lips trailing up to _slurp_ the wet flesh, sucking, tasting and healing it. This time the moans which filling his ears are more debauched, full of lust and pleasure along with a tight grip in his hair, almost hurting his scalp. He keeps at it until nothing but smooth skin once again upon his tongue, leaning away to embrace his sanity back, but Taeyong doesn't let him, he doesn't let go.

"Keep doing it, don't stop," the man said, voice heavy and his hand letting go of his hair to stroke down Jaehyun's spine, sneaking under his shirt and lifting it up as he's harrowing his fingers over Jaehyun's naked skin, the thighs around his hip pressing harder.

"Don't do this-" his protest was swallowed by a feverish kiss, hot mouth covering his and ragged breaths filling his lungs. "Please, Tae-" he stops, chills dawning his entire body when he felt a hand slipping under his pants, a hot palm squeezed his butt.

"Master."

Immediately Taeyong stopped, he lets go and something dark took place in his already dark eyes, face hardens in disgust, " _get off_."

Jaehyun is shuddering in dread, because there's nothing warm or forgiving in the man's tone. It's cold, it's murderous to his soul. He slide away with much difficulty, anxiety brimming when Taeyong getting up to fix his torn shirt with his magic, face indifferent with calm anger, like a clear sky before a storm.

"Mast-"

"Shut up Jaehyun, I don't want to hear your bullshit," he hissed softly, yet loud to Jaehyun's terrified heart.

"Where are you going?" He whispered through a thundering heart when Taeyong dolling himself up to look even more mesmerizing. Like an alluring demon do best to seduce and eats them thoroughly. Jaehyun knows this and he dreaded it with his whole being. Because Taeyong likes to _tangle_ before he eats.

"Don't take me for a fool, Jaehyun, i know what you're doing. I let you had your fill, so I'll take my own fill."

 _No_. Jaehyun despise it, he want to scream it, but all that spilling from his lips was a broken whisper, "no.."

Taeyong slowly crouching down while staring at him, "I've waited for almost two decades now, Jaehyun. I let you be because I know you needed the time. But the more i give you time, the more you withdraw yourself from me. So tell me, for what reason I should starve myself for something which wouldn't be mine?"

 _But I'm yours. I'm yours Taeyong, even though I can't let us cross that line_. It's not like Taeyong didn't know, he hates it because he _knew_. So Jaehyun could only be honest, "it took me seven years this time, what if it'll take me longer until I can't do it at all for the next time? I'm terrified. My power... It's not only affected by your conditions, but also me, my emotions. Am I not the only necromancer to exist now? If I can't- if I can't do it, how can I live?"

Taeyong searches his eyes, gaze so deep Jaehyun feels like he's staring into the abyss, "You feels too much because you're bonded to me, Jaehyun. You can't really breathe because the bond demands you to stay by my side, because our souls are halves of one. Suddenly, you can't erase me, you feel me within you and everything of me, my emotions, my thoughts, my feelings. It's inevitable you start to feel for me way too much, but you should have feel it too, that I'll always be there. Here, with you, no matter what happens."

What they have transcends what could be defined as _love_. They're each other's oxygen, crucial and can't be without. But Jaehyun knows, it wasn't just the bond which nurture such feelings within his soul, it was also Taeyong's person which grows inside him, the part of him that was used to the mortal world. It is love and _more_. That's why Jaehyun is terrified, because nothing can save him should he lose the anchor which he's been seeking for in all his life.

"I'm still scared..." He cried out in a whisper, dry with no tears.

"Jaehyun, you never failed me no matter how long it takes to bring me back to life, your fear is what keeping you incapable. You shouldn't worry too much, even if you couldn't resurrect me, I'll still be there as long as the earth is alive, just like how it was when we first met," Taeyong said softly, voice like a lullaby.

"But it takes for how long? It took you hundreds of year until you could seek for me. Even then, you were only shadows amongst the dark and the light. How am I supposed to live with only reflections of you?" His fingers digging into the fresh soil, hurting the earth just like the way his heart is bleeding.

"You're a fool as much as you're greedy, Jaehyun," he sighed tiredly although there's a fondness in it, "should it matter if I'm only a reflection? I'm not gone, you don't lose me, how is that a problem? Beside, in that way our bond are unfulfilled and you'll be able to breathe and run about without the nagging pain or presence of me, wouldn't you like that? Be free?"

"I'd rather... have these pain and be suffocated but knowing that you're here, connected to me than feels nothing because you're shadows I couldn't touch," Jaehyun whispered in desperation, agony clawing his skin.

Taeyong was silent for a moment, before awe and a beautiful, pleased smile growing on his pretty lips, " _wow_. That's one hell of a confession."

"I'm serious," he whined, slightly annoyed since it seems like Taeyong didn't take him seriously.

"And so do I," Taeyong holds Jaehyun's face preciously, kissing every inch of his face, then to his lips, gentle and grounding, "am I not here with you now? Why not live in the present with me, enjoy it and shove away those useless fear? You've been doing fine, I trust you to keep up the good work, why not trust me then? We can try harder to keep me alive this time around and since we got time, we can also try to get you better at it so you wouldn't have to worry, okay?"

Jaehyun whined frustratingly, "I feel like a child..."

"I think you are one, Jaehyun," he chuckles, kissing his forehead for one last time before he lets go and standing up, giving Jaehyun a hand to be on his feet too.

They start to walk back to the garden, hands intertwined and this time Jaehyun's steps are a bit heavy at following Taeyong, "they're not useless fear, they exist because it could happen and I don't want that."

Taeyong hums, never stopping his steps, "they're useless because I'm hard to get rid of and I'm not willing to let my baby alone to fend for himself."

Jaehyun blushed then, ducking his head in reflex to hide his face although he knows the other man wouldn't look back when they're walking that fast, "Are you still going to...?"

"Hunt?" Taeyong asked with a teasing smirk, only letting go of Jaehyun's hand when they reached the table where he put down the flowers previously, causing Jaehyun's heart to stutter by the way those flowers adorning his beauty, "i just got a wonderful confession, so that satisfied me, _for now_."

"For now...?" He asked anxiously.

"You'll have to be creative to keep me," Taeyong spun around with effect, petals of many colors caressing his flawless, supple cheeks, "You can start from collecting _toys_ for me because you know how _hungry_ I am."

Jaehyun blushes furiously, immediately dark and dirty images come rushing in his head and he needs to get rid of them right away, "t-those flowers, you like them or are they only for your energy?"

Taeyong giggles cutely out of satisfaction, always able to mess with the taller man so effortlessly, "both, i love flowers as you _knew_ already."

"Oh... um, I don't think I ever ask what is your favorite flowers though," he rubs his nape nervously to get rid of the heat in his face and down his chest.

"I love any flowers, even the scary ones fascinate me. But I've come to realized there's a flower I've come to love," he took a single pink rose to tuck it on Jaehyun's ear, smiling warmly of how the color fits the man's equally pink hair.

"Oh really...? What is it?" His hand instinctively reaching to the traces of warmth which Taeyong left on his cheek.

"Cheery blossoms, because they reminds me of you," Taeyong said alluringly, spinning around to leave flushed Jaehyun alone.

There's a frustrated scream after and Taeyong laughs happily.

 

==

 

"It doesn't even smell good."

Jaehyun look up from his phone to the wide window glass beside his table, steam dancing up from the hot cup of tea which just got placed down by the waiter, "you're everywhere, aren't you?"

"Cool right?"

"Please just go away," Jaehyun groaned, lifting up his cup of tea only to realize with annoyance that Taeyong is right. _The tea is awful._ He could do much better than this.

"Are you sure you want me to go away?" There's a snickers and he could already see it even without turning around to see.

"Yes, please."

"Must be desperate that you even said please," Taeyong laughed.

"And you must know I've never say _please_ ," he scoffed.

"Still, you'll regret it if I go away."

Jaehyun laughed mockingly, "as if, that's the best joke ever-"

"Grab that kid and go to the left corner of this cafe," Taeyong's voice sounded serious all of sudden, sharp like a warning tone.

"What?" That caught Jaehyun on surprise.

" _Now_."

It was a finality which Jaehyun found himself complying without question, like instinct he stand up to grab the kid that Taeyong had pointed at, hearing him scream then wailing in his arms as he run for the corner. _Why is he doing this? Why his body moves by his own?_

Then suddenly the earth shakes, building trembling and items falling down. Screams explodes and people scattering around, some are in too much panic that they couldn't move at all. It was quite a force that even Jaehyun almost lose his footing and fall down with the crying kid. But what happens next turn his blood cold and heart stops in horror, because the ceiling crumbling down and flattening whatever it was beneath them. The area where the kid was sitting.

The earthquake didn't last long, no one died although many are injured, the parents of the kid came to him with grateful tears. It didn't matter if the happenings doesn't make sense, what matters is their child is okay and they're thankful for Jaehyun. Yet it was a misplaced gratitude, because the one who had saved the kid was the smiling man in the broken mirror on the floor.

"You saved him," Jaehyun said in confusion, completely stunned.

"I didn't," the man simply said, "if Thanatos and Moirae decided otherwise, I wouldn't be able to foresee his death. If Moirae didn't allow it, you wouldn't listened to me. Fate saved him, Jaehyun."

 _But you did, you chose to tell me although indirectly_ , "why?"

"Why? Hecate was the goddess of crossroads, she balanced the good and the evil, two sides of everything. I save and i take, Jaehyun, that child is a balance I have to save to keep the plate even," he shrugged. "Beside it's partly my fault. In this condition I can't really stop Gaea whenever she's rousing in her sleep, even though I should be since Hecate also protects the earth."

It took Jaehyun a moment to think, "so you're not always evil?"

"I'm never evil as I'm never good," Taeyong laughs, "I keep it fair."

That was the last nudge he needed, because he didn't miss the soft gleam in the man's eyes as they lands upon the child, safe in his parent's arms. _Two sides of everything, he saves even when he doesn't have to_. And so Jaehyun asked, "what media is the best for your resurrection, Taeyong?"

There was surprise over the man's face, but it quickly shifted into a pleased look as he stares into Jaehyun, "anything of nature Jaehyun, anything that is _alive_."

"So you need sacrifices or souls?"

"The catalyst, yes. But the media could be of anything alive, like a tree, water, plants or flowers."

 _Flowers_.

Jaehyun knows what's fitting for this man, "lilies."

There's a laughter ringing in the air, so clear despite the chaos surrounding them, " _lilies_. Flowers for the dead, really? I should be offended but i see why you see them befitting of me."

"You have a hand to who are to be saved or not, death also your symbol," Jaehyun shrugged in mock, suddenly not at all apprehensive with this man after knowing his nature. He doesn't go against Jaehyun's mortal morals.

"Good enough, i love lilies even though you depicted me as the death."

 _No Taeyong_ , Jaehyun thought although its foreign to himself, yet it rings true in his heart after knowing the light which exist within Taeyong.

_Lilies speaks for devotion too._

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you think!
> 
> Hit me up at my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/RiriSailing?s=09)


	5. Tea Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "There be only one of us who will die."

The spoon stirs, transparent red liquid followed until the soft sound of ceramic meeting metal heard and they all come to still. The half nymph creature doesn't look up from his cup as he says, "coming for a visit when I'm by myself, child of Dike?"

"I figured it's only right to come for your nth awakening."

Taeyong turns in his stood, elegant despite in his daily home clothing which look rather sloppy to welcome a guest, even though it was an uninvited guest, "you're a couple of months late, Doyoung."

"And yet I came, in the end," the taller man said while lifting up his arms in mock.

"Surely I'm hoping you didn't come to start an argument with how I run my duties, we've been at it for centuries and I'm getting tired of your yapping."

"I see you're still keeping him with you despite the billion times I've said it how bad of a plan it is that you have in mind," he said without challenge, sitting down on a couch without being invited.

"And do you suggest you have another idea?" Taeyong walked to the couch, placing one of the tea on the coffee table while the other for himself since already knowing of the arrival of the other man.

Doyoung didn't say anything because he have none, but still he couldn't agree with how Taeyong going do it. He glanced to the cup of tea before looking around the small apartment, finding many plants on every corners, "nice place."

"Courtesy of him to keep me breathing, although he knew even if I'm not breathing I won't be dead. Perhaps he can't deal seeing me half dead and half alive in his presence."

"How long has it been, the two of you?" Doyoung asked.

"A little more than two decades, but only a decade or so with me awake since the last time he needed seven years to resurrect me."

"You're side tracking from your initial goal, Taeyong, it's so obvious with the way this place looked."

"Spare me from your moral compass, even your mother let me be so why don't you?" Taeyong sighed.

"Because I care about you even though I don't always agree with your ways of doing things?" Doyoung stressed, reaching for the tea to calm his nerves, "you only need his loyalty, not his heart. You need to know your limits or else you're going to do the same mistake."

"Listen, I know, you may not believe it, but i know. It's inevitable he become attached to me, with how the bond works although I don't want it. I'm only tasting of what I can have for now, but i know I shouldn't ask for more," Taeyong clicked his tongue.

"Tasting?" Doyoung asked in disbelief, "ask for more? You're already in deep shit if you think like that. It wasn't just him, was it? You're already feeling it too-"

"Silence," Taeyong let out sternly, eyes hard and aura rolling off like heat swimming in air, "I'm not stupid to do it like that, i know how to control my own heart."

"Funny, that sounds familiar, but look where we are now," Doyoung scoffed.

"This is my business, Doyoung, like it or not we are doing it my way."

"This is not only your business, Taeyong, it's everyone's business. One stupid move from you and we all going to die, you know how it is," Doyoung hissed. "And I surely won't let myself die for some stupid infatuation."

"No," Taeyong said, sure with his words despite the stirs in his chest much like the one in his tea, "there be only one of us who will die."

"Don't be naive, don't kid yourself that it's only going to be one."

"I will make sure of it."

 

\--

 

It was a day like any other day, Jaehyun on the clock in the hospital and making sure he do his job right despite the gnawing in his gut from being away from Taeyong. He's doing it again, going that far from him as if trying to train Jaehyun to be away from him. Jaehyun cringed when it's getting harder to breathe while he's going through the folders in nurse station, _is the time getting nearer?_

But he hold on, remembering the words Taeyong said from the last time, ' _you need to learn patience, Jaehyun'_. And so, he will, for him and for the sake of his own. That is until anxiety intensify within him, mind alarmed of how Taeyong's presence going further away each ticking time. _Where is he going?_ His heart burns and lungs caught void as he inhaled, Jaehyun chokes, coughing violently as he fall to his knees grasping at anything he could reach. _What is Taeyong doing? Why is he going that far? Does he want to torture him?_

"Jaehyun, are you okay?" Heard was a worried voice and Jaehyun glanced up in panic to see a colleague, Hwang Kwan bending down to him.

"Just-" he inhale desperately, chest tightening in pain like the fear and anxiety eating him inside, "I need to get away, I need- I have to go."

"Jaehyun-" his words lost in the air because the man refused to hear the rest and running out of the hospital not minding his clock nor his things in the locker room. Hwang Kwan stare at Jaehyun's far away figure, hand dipping into his pocket to pull out a phone, dialing the first number, "it's enough, he's already losing it."

Jaehyun keep running, but Taeyong is too far away and getting further away. His heartbeats accelerating, panic rising and it's not only about how hard it is to breathe, but more about Taeyong _leaving_. _Calm down, Jaehyun think, think, he's not leaving_. But then his skin bristles when suddenly, Taeyong's presence gone. _What?_

No matter how far, no matter the ocean or lands separate them, even when Taeyong died, Jaehyun could always sensed him since his soul is always still alive. But _this_ , Jaehyun couldn't feel anything, not even the lingering presence of Taeyong he could sense. And it set his heart into dread, fear racking his whole being and Jaehyun almost scream in agony. _How? Why? What happened?_ Without clear mind nor rationality intact, Jaehyun speed away to where Taeyong's presence last felt, uncaring how some humans sees him using inhuman speed.

In was far into the forest where they last visited near the florist shop, deep into it where last Taeyong was, but Jaehyun found nothing of him there. It feels like teeth eating him from the inside, erosion to his soul the longer he couldn't feel Taeyong. He realized duly that his skin are no longer like human but more of his true self, scales covering him, eyes like clear golden water with fangs and claws elongated. Anxiety and fear taking over him. _Is this how it is? What will happen to him if he lose Taeyong? Losing himself due to uncontrollable fear? And you had thought you could live without him, Jaehyun._

"You don't look so good."

Jaehyun whipped his head to the voice, seeing a tall naiad woman standing by a tall tree, "mother...?"

"Look at you, unable to lock away your monster."

Her voice sounds much like venom, accusing and full of displeasure, but Jaehyun having none of it, "if it's you who did something to him, i will not hesitate to hurt you."

"It appears he become rather careless in that house you shared with him, for me to be able to do this so easily."

" _Mother-!_ " He halted, surprised when another person, a young man, emerges from behind the tree. He didn't even feel his presence before, but he knows what the man is, "a demigod? Of Hypnos's nonetheless, I didn't know you mingle with demigod now, mother."

"Desperate measure for desperate time, he had helped to bring him here, putting him under," she said, hands beckoning for the other man, "I'm more surprised he was of Aphrodite and Hypnos, who knew she tangled with anyone like Hypnos, typical."

"What did you do, _what did you do to him?"_ Jaehyun hissed.

"Nothing, only bringing him back to where he was born," another demigod came to view, a daughter of Hermes.

"You what?"

"Come see for yourself," she said, the place where she touched the tree opens up a portal to another dimension. That was why Jaehyun couldn't feel Taeyong, he was in a different world.

Jaehyun following into the portal when the three people getting inside, opening up to a place like garden which look so surreal it was dreamlike. The land was covered in turquoise grass, glimmering with luminous golden moss. There's a lake with clear water reflecting cyan and purplish colors making the majestic tree standing in the middle of it all the more ethereal, untouched and beautiful with no words can describe. White bodied with silver leaves, glowing like the most precious treasure was the tree, and in between the smooth, complicated branches laid sleeping Taeyong in it, resting protected.

"Where... is this?" Jaehyun whispered in awe.

"One of the twins trees of life, the source of pulsating energy of all life, we're in the center of all branching dimensions ever exists," the naiad says, looking at everything in the same awe as if she only laid eyes on the splendor of the place. "This place, they exist and they don't, only those who holds the keys could enter. He was the key, Jaehyun."

"And what are you trying to show me?" He asked in impatience, wanting no more than cradle Taeyong in his arms. But now that he sees him alive and feel him again running in his veins, the fear cease to exist and Jaehyun could gain back his human form.

"When the dimensions branching out of control due to Gaea's influence, Hecate had created this place with the big three gods to settle balance for all worlds. Nyx gave a fragment of her to make it possible, for this place to exist which can be opened with only two keys. One, was that man, the one you called Taeyong," the daughter of Hermes explained.

Jaehyun had known, had guessed that Taeyong hold something more than just being created by Hecate to watch over the world, but he hadn't even come close to know that he was such importance. And that brings question as to why he was halves to the man's existence. What is he, _truly_ are?

"Was there a reason why he never come to bond with me all those centuries before now?"

"Ignorance is a bliss, a sentence never felt so true in this situation," the naiad said, "but when he came in contact with you, we all feared of what's to come. Do you think so little that you are blind of the fact he have you for a plan?"

 _A plan,_ Jaehyun's heart picks up the pace, he knows Taeyong hide more than he let him see and know, "I'm not so stupid to never thought of that, there must be a reason why he took me under his wings, beside he needs me to be resurrected."

"And have you ever wondered why is it that he could never truly die?" The son of Hypnos asked, eyes unwavering despite the slight tint of insecurity, "he could be killed, but only by one person. And if that happens, the plate of stability will tip over and we with it. And that's why we can't let that happen."

"And I'm the key for such unbalance? How could i be such when I'm nothing powerful like that?" Jaehyun asked back, there surfacing again the fear but of different origin.

"The monster inside you, is more than what you've seen, Jaehyun," the naiad said.

 _A monster_ , that's what he is, but then why? If Taeyong bring upon such awakening in him, then why had he sought him over? If ignorance was the peace they could have, why? "If I am what I am, then why did you took me in and raised me, Taite? When my real mother left me for death in the estuary?"

"It is unwise to leave a beast without collars, but I've come to care for you, my son," her voice was so gentle, but her words wasn't so much.

"I would have lived even without you, is that what you're saying? But unloved and vengeful for this life and world. Then what of him? Had I been so blissfully unaware of my true nature, why reveal it now? Why did he came to me?"

"It is his plan that we're so disagreeable with, had we know what he have in mind, we would stop him before it happened," the daughter of Hermes said, distaste in her tone, as if Jaehyun is nothing but filth on her toes.

"And what has he planned for me?"

"You see what becomes of you when he was not there with you. As much he's the key for the balance, he's also the key to the monstrosity in you, Jaehyun," the naiad supplied.

Jaehyun look to his wrist, seeing the scales of snake surfacing again. Or was it more than a snake? It's always connected to his heart, whenever there's a disruption to his heart, his true form breaking the surface to reveal. "My heart and soul already answers to him, if it's the monster in me he wish to unleash, then he's free to do so."

"Have you no care about what would happen? If he-"

"No, I no longer care. I could do whatever he wants with me, except for one thing," Jaehyun look up to show his yellowish eyes, "only my life which I choose how it ends, as much as it seems like a blessing to end in his hands, I will choose my own death. It is the last of my dignity since he could have all of me."

Jaehyun stepped into the clear, colorful water to gather Taeyong in his arms, heart finding peace as the man's warmth seeping into his skin, "it seems both of us have plans written against our will. But before he taint his hands with my blood, i will take it by myself."

"Jaehyun... You must not get too deep with him, it's catastrophe," the naiad whispered.

"It's too late, far too late. I know I must not get too deep with him, why do you think I've been refusing him? But it was for my own good, if it's like what you said, then it's too late. He could have my life if he so desire now, for my existence was his to decide. Now, step aside." He growled as he carries Taeyong away from the place, away from the tree of his birth.

When Jaehyun left for good and the three stood side by side in turmoil, another person materialized before them. "Was that what you want to see, Doyoung-shi, son of Dike?" The naiad asked with anger lining her voice.

"Taeyong is so going to have an earful from me."

"He could do it by himself, why must he involved my child?"

Doyoung sighed in exasperation, "because he loves too much despite his nature."

"Then there will be more than one who's going to meet their ends," the son of Hypnos said.

"Unfortunately."

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mystery mystery~ how i love making it complicated ❤️
> 
> Tell me what you think!
> 
> Hit me up at my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/RiriSailing?s=09)

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what do you think ♡(◡‿◡✿)  
>    
> Hit me up at my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/RiriSailing?s=09)


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